PRESS RELEASE: 28/05/2026 Forest Schooling UK has been given the green light by the Department for Education to open Berrylands School, a new full-time special school for young people aged 7–16 with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Based in Kingston, the school offers a very different approach to education for young people whose experiences in mainstream settings have often been marked by exclusion, anxiety, trauma and repeated disruption. Berrylands School h
We are incredibly proud to announce that Berrylands School has now received its pre-registration inspection report from Ofsted, with the report concluding that the school is “likely to meet all the independent school standards” when registered. The report is expected to go live on the government website next week. For us, this is far more than a regulatory milestone. It is the result of years of belief, hard work and determination from a huge number of people who refused to g
We’ve got a set of large concrete tubes on site that were left behind by previous occupants. Not exactly inspiring on paper, but in reality, they’ve become one of the most used and valued parts of our space. The young people climb through them, sit in them, build games around them. They’ve turned them into something useful without anyone needing to tell them how. That’s usually a good sign we should pay attention rather than interfere. Recently, we decided to take it a step f
Stephen recently participated in an interview for Richard's podcast and YouTube channel. They discussed Foret School and its activities. The conversation delved into how neurodivergent individuals can think creatively and generate original ideas, potentially influenced by their experiences with trauma. Additionally, they talked about Richard's experiences growing up in foster care. This one was personal for me. Stephen's work sits right at the intersection of things I care ab
